


Uneasy Lies the Head That Wears the Crown

by Good_beans



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:34:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26015839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Good_beans/pseuds/Good_beans
Summary: The war is won and the future is bright. Still, Alm will need Lukas's help to find peace with his regrets.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Uneasy Lies the Head That Wears the Crown

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place really soon after the game ends. I headcanon that Lukas would become Alm's advisor at the beginning of his time as king. Also, I named the woman Lukas courted Carol.

For over a month, the throne that stood proudly in the grand hall of Rigel Castle remained empty. The new king adopted his duties quickly and with much passion, but refused to sit in the chair. The servants made sure to clean and dust it each day it sat unused. It appeared as pristine as ever, yet it had not been occupied since the siege. 

Members of the castle and court were very pleased with their new ruler’s active involvement in all affairs. They were often so busy admiring his leadership strategies that they hardly even realized his absence on the seat itself.

Alm arrived in the throne room early in the morning; the sun hadn’t risen over the landscape outside of the huge window. The staff was still getting up, so most halls appeared empty and silent. 

As he snuck through the doors, Alm nearly leapt in surprise when he found he wasn’t alone. Lukas was already there, busy examining some paperwork by candlelight. As Alm entered, he looked up and gave a respectful nod.

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

“Lukas! I didn’t expect to see you here at this hour.”

The man gave a small chuckle. “Neither did I. Forsyth woke me with some urgent business, which turned out to be less than urgent, and I found it simpler to begin my day now.” Alm joined his advisor at the small table set up near the throne and glanced over the documents. “And what of you? You have no need for this room until the citizens hold their audience with you.”

Alm’s face fell a bit as he stepped away. “I… I was up. I figured, since this is my first time hosting such a session, I should… come in and… rehearse what I’m going to say.” He sighed. Even a child could have seen through his lie. He hadn’t prepared any cover story, as he had expected to have this time to himself.

The other man flicked his eyes up from the papers, careful not to seem too pushy. “Mmm. ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,’” Lukas quoted, although Alm did not know what from. “May I offer any aid? You know me by now -- there is no difficulty of yours that I will find too minor or ridiculous to address.”

“Yes,” he turned back to give a warm look, “and I am immeasurably grateful for that. My time as king would have gone down in flames by now, were it not for your acceptance and assistance. However...” he stepped over to the window, “this may be something I have to come to peace with on my own.”

Alm placed his hand on the glass. As soon as the Deliverance officially claimed the castle for the One Kingdom, the Rigelian emblem on the back wall had been replaced by a huge, arching window that held a stunning view of the northern shoreline. 

He could hear the rustling of papers from behind; Lukas had immediately gone back to work. Alm smirked, impressed as always with the man’s restraint from prying into others’ business. Growing up around the curious kids of Ram village, he’d hardly ever had a secret truly to himself. But Lukas respected everyone’s privacy to no end. 

“What do you think becomes of our failures?” the young man blurted. It seemed he did not want privacy at the moment.

Lukas put the documents down. 

He continued, “I know I’ve done a lot of good things in the Deliverance. But no matter how many people I have helped, I believe I have hurt just as many because of my moments of weakness.” 

He fixed his gaze on the shifting waves in the distance. He had noticed that huge as the castle stood, it seemed small in comparison to such a vast ocean. And he himself stood the smallest of them all.

“I could have done things differently. Were I not so fearful, I could have tried more diplomacy on our way here. I believe we could have come to some kind of agreement with Rigel. I believe… I believe my father could be sitting here now, by my side, were I not so weak then.”

“Ah, is that why you have avoided the throne so adamantly?”

Alm gave a sad smile. “Heh, so you noticed.” The young man tore himself away from the scenery and took a hesitant step towards the throne. “I just don’t see how I can take his place after all my mistakes.” He ran his hands gently across the patterns carved in the wood. “How can I sit in his place -- in my cousin’s place -- when it is my fault they are not here now? I feel as if the good I have done means nothing, since the future has been forever altered by my failures.”

Lukas walked to the window that Alm had just been surveying. Rather than look outside, though, his eyes grew distant as he contemplated. Alm knew he was thinking deeply about his question and waited patiently for him to answer. 

After some time in silence, he spoke. “I believe that all mistakes can be used for a higher purpose.” Lukas folded his hands behind his back. “Not all of our mistakes turn out for the better, we must make it so ourselves. But I do believe they all have the potential.” He paused. “I have had many great failures. However, my worst one thus far has led me to all the good things in my life.”

“Your worst failure?”

Lukas’s expression did not change. “Enlisting in the Deliverance under my father’s orders. Without it, I would not be the man I am today. I would not have this perfect life, and perfect future. I would not have all these friends -- this family. And yet, it all stemmed from the time of weakness I most regret.”

“But that’s not a failure,” Alm gaped at him. “You did nothing wrong!” You were forced out by your family.”

Lukas turned his head slightly from the glass. His lips had angled into a smile that Alm had seen quite a bit throughout the war-- the kind that spread across his face in order to cover up any other emotion that could have been detected. “No, I most certainly could have controlled it. I should have stood up to my father. I was an adult, I was independent, and I had the means to do so.” He returned his gaze to the sea. “But I was weak at that time. I allowed myself to be sent away. Perhaps it was cowardice from my family’s wrath. Perhaps it was pathetic desperation for their approval. Perhaps it was my inability to confront my own problems, as I ran both from them and Carol.” He spoke almost absently -- his eyes gazed entirely somewhere else now. “The shame of that decision haunts me still.”

Alm had never heard that side of his tale before. He said gently, “for the record, I don’t believe you deserve the blame for that. It was out of your control.”

“And I believe the same of you in these circumstances. I believe that others are responsible for most of the hardships you have faced. You were not given an easy road. Therefore we must do the best with what we are given.”

“... but what if I didn’t?” Alm’s fists clenched. “What if I used the little control I did have and still messed up?”

A pause. Lukas’s face darkened. “Then you must focus on the future to make things well again. After I left home, I worked hard to make the best of my new path. It certainly was not easy, but I refused to wallow in my own negativity. -- Not that there is anything wrong with wallowing,” he added quickly. “I believe everyone requires time to process their regret. But once I had given it sufficient time, found acceptance and moved on. I had to move on, even though I had hurt people along the way. I have been hurt, and I recovered. I must have faith they can too.” 

He took a deep breath, and it seemed as if he were pulling himself out of the past. “My weakness had forced me into a new life, so I simply threw myself into it wholeheartedly. And I could not be happier.” 

His smile appeared much more genuine when he turned around. Lukas strode back to the desk, squeezing Alm’s shoulder as he passed. He gathered up a few things. 

“Now, I must take my leave. There are a few small matters I must attend to. I shall leave you alone so that you may do what you came here for.” Alm’s gaze fell upon the throne. “Should you need something else from me, you need only ask.”

“Thank you Lukas. That was both comforting and incredibly wise.” Alm gave him an earnest look. “I know it isn’t easy for you to share your past with others, but hearing that truly helped. After such a quick conversation you have already eased my heart a great deal.”

“Of course. I am relieved to have helped.” Reaching the entryway, Lukas hesitated. “Would you like me to send for Lady Celica? I am certain she is awake by now, and would love to join you in here.”

The worry on Alm’s face softened at the mere sound of her name. “Yes, that would be nice. Thank you.”

The heavy door shut as the man left Alm alone with the looming chair. 

He paced the room for another minute. He had to do this now. If he waited too much longer, the court would arrive and it would be time for him to listen to the citizen’s grievances. He’d be forced unceremoniously into the chair before he felt prepared. 

He returned to stand directly in front of it.

The two stared at each other for a moment in the silence. 

Steeling his nerves, Alm reminded himself of Lukas’s words. He could never begin to honor his father or make his mistakes right if he remained stuck in the past.

Just as Lukas had gained a new family to help him through the loss of his old one, so had Alm. He would rely on those people. He would be strong. Relaxing his shoulders, he moved forward.

As rays of sunlight spilled over the horizon to shimmer across the ocean’s waves, the king sat upon his throne.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this more for Lukas, because I was just so interested in his backstory and his emotional state. But as I went through I realized everything Alm was going to carry with him (on top of the trauma of being a child who fought in a war) and got super emotional and ended up turning the story more about him than I initially had it.
> 
> And Yes, the title is another Shakespeare quote because I'm a mess. It's from King Henry, and is about how the king stays up late because he's worrying about the well being of his people.


End file.
